Accounts Receivable Intern (Hybrid)

About Sybrin: Sybrin is a leading IT software development company specialising in innovative solutions tailored to meet the evolving needs of businesses across various sectors. Our mission is to empower businesses with cutting-edge technology solutions that drive efficiency, enhance customer experiences, and facilitate growth. At Sybrin, we pride ourselves on delivering high-quality products and secure solutions, thanks in part to the combination of the ISO 9001 for Quality Management System and ISO/IEC 27001 for Information Security Management System certifications, and our commitment to data protection, demonstrated by our implementation of ISO/IEC 27701 Privacy Information Management System. As an employee of Sybrin, you will be expected to familiarise yourself with the contents of the Integrated Management System, as well as undergo periodic training to better understand your unique role in the security, quality, and privacy ecosystem within Sybrin, and uphold the principles in Sybrin’s Integrated Management System. The Integrated Management System is a significant business enabler and, as such, ensuring our customers receive quality, secure service at every touchpoint within the organisation is critical. Role Overview: The Accounts Receivable Internship is an initial 12-month development opportunity within Sybrin’s Finance function. The intern will provide support across customer payment allocations, invoicing administration, collections, debtor follow-ups, customer information management, Withholding Tax documentation and Accounts Receivable reporting. Working under the guidance of the Finance team, the intern will gain practical exposure to debtor management, cash flow processes, financial systems, internal controls and customer account administration. The role is suitable for a candidate who has completed, or is completing, a relevant finance or accounting qualification and may already have some entry-level finance or Accounts Receivable experience. Qualifications and Experience: -Matric. -Completed or currently completing a Certificate, Diploma or Degree in Accounting, Finance, Financial Management or a related field -Previous exposure or up to 2 years relevant experience in Accounts Receivable, debtors, finance administration or a similar environment will be advantageous -Basic exposure to customer invoicing, payment allocations or collections will be advantageous. -Exposure to cross-border transactions, particularly within Africa, multi-currency environments and Withholding Tax will be beneficial -Exposure to an accounting or ERP system will be advantageous Reporting Line: Financial Manager Key Responsibilities: Customer Accounts Receivable Management: -Assist with allocating customer payments and credit notes accurately in accordance with customer remittance advice and confirmations. -Support the matching of customer payments to invoices and ensure allocations are accurately reflected in Acumatica. -Assist with identifying unallocated cash, payment discrepancies and allocation queries for investigation and resolution. -Assist with identifying and recording Withholding Tax amounts against relevant customer transactions. -Support the maintenance of accurate Accounts Receivable balances and monthly reconciliation activities. Customer Collections: -Assist with the collection and follow-up of outstanding customer invoices according to payment terms and debtor ageing. -Communicate professionally with customers by email and telephone regarding outstanding payments and payment commitments. -Follow up on outstanding invoices and assist with providing supporting documents to customers where required. -Escalate overdue accounts, payment disputes and collection risks to the appropriate Finance team member in line with internal procedures. Customer Collections and Withholding Tax Certificates: -Assist with collecting Withholding Tax Certificates from customers within the required timeframes. -Maintain records of certificates received and outstanding, and follow up with customers where documentation remains outstanding. -Assist with ensuring received certificates align with the relevant transactions and support audit and compliance requirements. Customer Information Management: -Assist with maintaining accurate and complete customer contact, billing and account information within Acumatica. -Support the maintenance of customer documentation required for invoicing, collections and financial administration. -Assist with finance-related customer onboarding requirements, including billing information, invoicing requirements and payment terms. -Maintain organised electronic records to ensure documentation can be retrieved easily for internal review and audit purposes. Debtor Follow Up Updates: -Update the debtor collection report with accurate comments following customer interactions. -Record payment commitments, disputes, outstanding information and agreed follow-up dates promptly and accurately. -Maintain clear and structured notes to provide visibility of customer account activity and ensure collection actions are traceable. Debtors Process and Follow Ups: -Perform debtor follow-ups in accordance with the latest debtor processes and guidelines communicated by Finance management. -Follow internal timelines and escalation procedures for overdue accounts. -Assist with ensuring collection activities align with agreed collection cycles and internal Finance controls. Expected Collection Month: -Assist with maintaining and updating the expected collection month for outstanding customer receivables. -Record expected payment dates based on customer commitments and available information. -Support accurate collection forecasting and highlight potential collection risks or delayed payment commitments to the relevant Finance team member. -Finance Administration and Reporting Support: -Assist with maintaining Accounts Receivable reports, debtor ageing information and supporting schedules. -Support month-end Accounts Receivable activities where appropriate. -Maintain accurate Finance records and supporting documentation. -Provide general Accounts Receivable administration support and participate in Finance process improvement activities where appropriate. Critical Technical and Behavioural Skills Required: -Strong attention to detail and commitment to accuracy. -Basic understanding of accounting principles, Accounts Receivable processes and debtor ageing. -Good written and verbal communication skills and a professional approach to customer interaction. -Good organisational, administrative and record-keeping skills. -Ability to manage multiple tasks and work within agreed deadlines. -Basic understanding of Withholding Tax and supporting documentation will be advantageous. -Working knowledge of Microsoft Excel, including basic formulas, filters and data handling. -Experience with Microsoft Office applications and willingness to learn financial systems such as Acumatica. -Ability to work effectively as part of a Finance team, ask questions, receive feedback and develop technical knowledge. -Professional, responsible, and customer-focused approach, with the ability to handle financial and customer information confidentially. -Willingness to learn and uphold the principles of ISO 9001:2015 Quality Management System, ISO/IEC 27001:2022 Information Security, Cybersecurity and Privacy Management System, ISO/IEC 27701:2019 Privacy Information Management System, POPIA and GDPR